The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (January 1902)

122 The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. like gelatine. We have now got a fine grained film, which the slightest touch will injure or scratch, so that we must varnish the slide to preserve it and give a surface for colouring. Thad .v curious experience a short while ago, and whic:. I cannot account for; an experience that perhaps others have met with, and may be able to advise the cause and how to avoid in future. A customer sent for colouring some beautiful slides of the Lakes of Killarney ; as soon as I commenced to colour, the film, which was varnished, rubbed up in a manner I could not ! understand ; I tried another slide—same result. No sooner did the brush with colour touch the slide than it worked up. I thought they had not been varnished and applied some; final result, the whole picture disappeared and left | What is your theory, | ' expeditiously. The chairs should not be arranged clear glass in its place. Mr. Editor, for this ? My formula for varnish is :— 2 ozs. 4 ozs. Bast white hard spirit varnish Rectified spirits of wiae Mix and filter. Care must be observed in obtaining the spirit varnish right; do not get it from a painters, but from some good manufacturing druggist, and the spirits, from same source, should be of strength: | Alcohol, C,., H;., HO. Any others than these cause a resinous pre cipitate, or else a varnish that dries soft and | streaky. The process of varnishing is, perhaps, the most tantalising of the whole process, because bad varnishing spoils a good slide. So, before trying on a slide, practice till perfect on pieces of glass. The requirements are :— Kitchen range with clear fire. 5 ozs. Cometless pouring bottle, containing varnish. 2 inches wide dusting brush. Piece of blotting paper on range top. Put slide, film side up, on range till it gets comfortably warm (not hotter than the mount of the thumb can bear), carefully dust it with brush and use the varnish in the same manner as collodionising, drain back into bottle, and hold slide to fire till varnish is set, afterwards placing on range (not too hot) to harden. It only now remains to put on suitable mask, cover glass, and bind, when slide is complete. N.B.—A few queries have been addressed to me, to which I will endeavour to reply in my next article. (To be continued.) Hints to Private House Entertainers. By THOMAS BYFORD. SHEET of white rubber makes a splendid screen, and being wrinkless and opaque it is in every way suitable for private parties. A bamboo frame not more than 6 feet square is recommended. Some lanternists use a 4 feet frame, but it gives to the show a toyish appearance which does not add to the credit of the entertainer. If one lives in London, or a big city, drive up to the house in a vehicle; it stamps the show as being respectable. Ina small town where one is well known this is not requisite, the apparatus can be taken by hand. Don’t be fussy, but arrange the preliminarics Ss. 2 as if a large public exhibition were about to be given ; let those present sit where they choose. If the host or hostess suggest refreshments accept their hospitality, it’s bad form to refuse. Don’t talk loud when describing the pictures, well bred people speak deliberately and softly, do thou likewise. Don’t point out the merits of certain slides, let those you are entertaining find this out. Very little applause or laughter will be got out of a private audience, so do not be downhearted if manifestations of approval are not indulged in during the progress of the entertainment. Congratulations will sometimes be forthcoming at the finish. Should the fee not be forthcoming at the close don’t ask for it, send in your account a few days later with a request for a remittance. Evening dress is not requisite, people don’t look for unreasonable things from private entertainers. When one lives in a small town personal canvassing may be indulged in, it often leads to excellent results. Limelight or acetylene should not be used if the exhibition is on a small scale. . The slightest hissing from the former or smell from the latter naturally upsets nervous people at a private gathering, and they quickly beat a retreat. A perfect oil lamp (Stocks’s for example) is best, and it only requires to be kept perfectly clean to obtain good results-in the way of a good illuminant and absence of smell. When oil lamps are used nightly they should be cleaned twice weekly as follows :—'lake out